Ginger Rogers

As the saying went about Ginger Rogers, she could do everything that her famous dance partner, Fred Astaire, could do, but she did it backwards <i>and</i> in high heels. That declaration n...
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Marlon Brando's ex-wife Movita Castaneda has died at the age of 98. The Mexican-American actress passed away on Thursday (12Feb15) at a rehabilitation centre in Los Angeles, where she was recovering from a neck injury, reports the Los Angeles Times.
Castaneda rose to prominence in 1933's Flying Down to Rio, Fred Astaire's first film with Ginger Rogers, and went on to land roles as sexy, exotic characters opposite Clark Gable in Mutiny on the Bounty, John Carroll in Rose of the Rio Grande and Wolf Call, and Warren Hull in Girl from Rio.
Castaneda's other film credits included Paradise Isle, Fort Apache and Captain Calamity, and TV series Knots Landing in the late 1980s.
She met Brando in the late 1950s and became his second wife in 1960 - but their romance ended in divorce after the movie icon left the actress for 19-year-old Tarita Teri'ipaia, who ironically played his onscreen lover in a remake of Castaneda's Flying Down to Rio in 1962.
Teri'ipaia became Brando's third wife.
Castaneda, who was previously married to Irish boxer-turned-singer and actor Jack Doyle, is survived by her two children with Brando - Miko and Rebecca.

French actor Jacques Bergerac has died at the age of 87. Bergerac, who was married to actresses Ginger Rogers and Dorothy Malone, passed away on 15 June (14) in France.
He began his career in 1954 in a movie titled Twist of Fate opposite Rogers and went on to star in several movies and TV shows, including Gigi, Les Girls, The Hypnotic Eye, Alfred Hitchcock Presents and Batman.
In 1957, he received the Golden Globe Award for Foreign Newcomer.
Bergerac left acting in the 1970's and became an executive at the Revlon Cosmetics company.
He is survived by his two daughters with Malone - Mimi and Diane.

Everett Collection
Some pairs are just meant to be onscreen together, whether its Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers or Bud Abbott and Lou Costello. They have a connection and chemistry that is hard to quantify and even harder to manufacture. As far as today's stars go, Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly have proved that they have that kind of connection when they're working together. So have Seth Rogen and James Franco. With each duo in the early stages of new big screen projects, we ask fans: Which of the bro-tastic pairings are you most looking forward to see reunited?
Ferrell and Reilly
It's not exactly the most logical fit. Ferrell comes from the Saturday Night Live school of goofy man-child characters and Reilly was once considered an up-and-coming dramatic actor working with directors like Martin Scorsese, Paul Thomas Anderson, and Terrence Malick. Then Reilly became Ferrell's dimwitted sidekick in Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby and soon the two were doing red carpet bits in character. They reteamed for Step Brothers, a film that gave new meaning to the term "arrested development" and established Ferrell and Reilly as a powerhouse comedy duo. Since then they've appeared in Funny or Die shorts together and Reilly made a cameo in last year's Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues. They each continue to do a full slate of work on their own — Reilly in particular stays extremely busy — making it clear that when they work together it's because they want to. The pair is set to reteam with director Adam McKay, Ferrell's frequent collaborator and Step Brothers director, on a comedy called Border Guards about two guys that end up on the wrong side of the Mexican border while trying to protect the United States from illegal immigrants.
Rogen and Franco
As opposed to Ferrell and Reilly, who had plenty of success individually prior to working together, Rogen and Franco started out working with one another in Judd Apatow's critically TV cult classic Freaks and Geeks. The pair shared screentime and exemplary chemistry with Jason Segel, Busy Philipps, and Linda Cardellini as the titular "freaks." While Franco went off and found stardom in the Tobey Maguire Spider-Man movies, Rogen hung around with Apatow long enough to find a fan base of his own after films like The 40-Year-Old Virgin and Knocked Up. Around the same time that Ferrell and Reilly did Step Brothers, Franco and Rogen reteamed for Pineapple Express. Then there was last year's This Is the End, where Rogen and Franco played amplified versions of themselves. Since then, they've taken to the net to spoof Kanye West's "Bound 2" video as well as Vogue's photo shoot with Kim Kardashian, and Franco popped in on Rogen's recent hosting turn on Saturday Night Live. The affection that they have for each other shows… sometimes more than you could even expect, such as the over-the-top (and shirtless) displays of love in the Bound video. Rogen and Franco, through their production companies, are planning to produce a film version of the book The Disaster Artist about the making of the notoriously bad cult movie The Room.
Perhaps someday Ferrell, Reilly, Franco and Rogen will all make a movie together — and considering Ferrell's and Rogen's proclivity for cramming famous people into their projects that isn't too far-fetched — but for now we're making you choose. So, who's it going to be? Vote below to tell us which duo — Ferrell and Reilly or Franco and Rogen — you can't wait to see more comedy gold from.
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Well, kids, Pamela Anderson is gone, leaving behind a trail of bronzing gel, false eyelashes, and hairspray residue in her wake. This week, the competition heated up about as unevenly as the leftover pasta I had for dinner. The night was filled with glitter, innuendo, and a big-band cover of Radiohead’s “Creep.” Yeah, that happened. Sufficiently confused? Read on for more weirdness.
Melissa Rycroft &amp; Tony Dovolani
Did I die and go to the Rydell High dance-off? Based on Melissa and Tony’s dance, I’m pretty sure that’s what happened. Melissa is clearly the best dancer at St. Bernadette’s. The only thing missing was the hand jive.
Carrie Ann: 8
Len: 8
Bruno: 7.5
Bristol Palin &amp; Mark Ballas
“This song’s like… me,” says Bristol Palin of Gretchen Wilson’s “Redneck Woman,” the song she danced to tonight. In case there was any doubt before, I can now confirm: Bristol Palin is the Honey Boo Boo of this competition.
Carrie Ann: 6
Len: 6
Bruno: 6
Helio Castroneves &amp; Chelsie Hightower
Bruno referred to Helio Castroneves as “a delicious treat,” but I’m pretty sure he was talking about Helio’s pink suit jacket. Enough about him, though — let’s talk about his daughter, who got more screen time than any actual dancer in this competition. And for good reason: She’s the cutest toddler in the world. And she cheered her dad on from the sidelines. Awww.
Carrie Ann: 8
Len: 7.5
Bruno: 7.5
Apolo Anton Ohno &amp; Karina Smirnoff
Last week, Carrie Ann told Apolo he got “3000 times sexier”… well, that was before she saw his fedora. It took all of his sexy points from last week and threw them right out the window. Apolo, you have the coolest male hair on DWTS this season. Don’t cover it up.
Carrie Ann: 8.5
Len: 8
Bruno: 8
Sabrina Bryan &amp; Louis Van Amstel
When Bruno calls you Ginger Rogers, you know you’re good. Sabrina Bryan is a rockstar – and an adorable one. When Carrie Ann told her how great she was, she literally jumped up and down like an overexcited. Carrie Ann: 9
Len: 8.5
Bruno: 8.5 Kirstie Alley &amp; Maks Chmerkovskiy
Ugh, Kirstie. During rehearsals, she had to wear rubber bands tied around her knees to train her to keep her legs together, a move she referred to as “Fifty Shades of Maks.” Ew. Her costume dragged out the torture even more: I get that her wig is meant to look like a classy ‘20s flapper, but the final result was vaguely reminiscent of a tan, slightly tipsy Marilyn Manson at a Great Depression-themed party.
Carrie Ann: 7
Len: 7
Bruno: 7
Emmitt Smith &amp; Cheryl Burke
Emmitt Smith says he’s been hit over 4,000 times, which evidently made his head crooked. I guess last week we were all too distracted by the hip rolls. More importantly, though, he wore a leopard print bowtie and cummerbund combo, so I don’t understand why they didn’t just give him the Mirror Ball trophy and send everyone else packing.
Carrie Ann: 7.5
Len: 7.5
Bruno: 7.5
Drew Lachey &amp; Anna Trebunskaya
Drew and Anna snag the award for worst costume of the night. First of all, Anna: Selena called. She wants her sequined bustier back. Like, now. And Drew, lose the eyeliner. You’re not Johnny Depp circa 2005 (But ooh, can Johnny Depp be on DWTS? Who do I need to pay to make that happen?).
Carrie Ann: 7.5
Len: 7.5
Bruno: 7.5
Joey Fatone &amp; Kym Johnson
I have to be completely honest: I was so distracted by Joey’s music — a big-band version of Radiohead’s “Creep” — that I barely watched his dance. I guess it was appropriate, though — his Charlie Chaplin impression was, well, creepy. Based on the last two performances, I can only imagine (by which I mean dread) what’s to come next time.
Carrie Ann: 7.5
Len: 7.5
Bruno: 7.5
Shawn Johnson &amp; Derek Hough
Meanwhile, back at Rydell High, my Grease metaphor continues as Shawn Johnson performs a dance that’s as wholesome as everyone’s favorite Hopelessly Devoted leading lady. Also, she cartwheeled down the stairs. Did you hear she was once in the Olympics?!
Carrie Ann: 8.5
Len: 8
Bruno: 7.5
Kelly Monaco &amp; Valentin Chmerkovskiy
Kelly Monaco apparently missed out on her senior prom and wanted to relive the moment here. Too bad she didn’t leave a glass slipper behind on the steps: She was acting like Val was her real-life Prince Charming. I’m just impressed she didn’t trip over all that tulle.
Carrie Ann: 7.5
Len: 7
Bruno: 7.5
Gilles Marini &amp; Peta Murgatroyd
The funny thing about Gilles’ hamstring injury is that I once had the same issue. Unfortunately, I didn’t get mine from dancing in a nationally televised competition, so I guess he wins this one. He dedicated his performance to his father, who passed away 17 years ago tonight, and his dad is definitely smiling down on him: once again, the last dance of the night was hands-down the best. Even if he did forget to wear his undershirt.
Carrie Ann: 8.5
Len: 8.5
Bruno: 8.5
Who’s heading home tonight?
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The trailers for Hope Springs might lead you to believe it's a romantic comedy about a couple trying to jumpstart their sexless marriage but it causes more empathetic cringing than chuckles. Audiences will be drawn to Hope Springs by its stars Meryl Streep Tommy Lee Jones and Steve Carell and Streep's track record of pleasing summer movies like Julie &amp; Julia and Mamma Mia! that offer a respite from the blockbusters flooding theaters. Despite what its marketing might have you believe Hope Springs isn't a rom-com. The film is a disarming mixture of deeply intimate confessions by a married couple in the sanctuary of a therapist's office awkwardly honest attempts by that couple to physically reconnect and incredibly sappy scenes underscored by intrusive music. Boldly addressing female desire especially in older women it's hard not to give the movie extra credit for what writer Vanessa Taylor's script is trying to convey and its rarity in mainstream film. The ebb and flow of intimacy and desire in a long-term relationship is what drives Hope Springs and while there are plenty contrived moments and unresolved issues it is frankly surprising and surprisingly frank. It's a summer release from a major studio with high caliber stars aimed squarely at the generally underserved 50+ audience addressing the even more taboo topic of that audience's sex life.
Streep plays Kay a suburban wife who's deeply unsatisfied emotionally and sexually by her marriage to Arnold. Arnold who is played by Tommy Lee Jones as his craggiest sleeps in a separate bedroom now that their kids have left the nest; he's like a stone cold robot emotionally and physically and Kay tiptoes around trying to make him happy even as he ignores her every gesture. One of the most striking scenes in the movie is at the very beginning when Kay primps and fusses over her modest sleepwear in the hopes of seducing her husband. Streep makes it obvious that this isn't an easy thing for Kay; it takes all her guts to try and wordlessly suggest sex to her husband and when she's shot down it hurts to watch. This isn't a one time disconnect between their libidos; this is an ongoing problem that leaves Kay feeling insecure and undesirable.
After a foray into the self-help section of her bookstore Kay finds a therapist who holds week-long intensive couples' therapy sessions in Good Hope Springs ME and in a seemingly unprecedented moment of decisiveness she books a trip for the couple. Arnold of course is having none of it but he eventually comes along for the ride. That doesn't mean he's up for answering any of Dr. Feld's questions though. To be fair Dr. Feld (Carell) is asking the couple deeply intimate questions so if Arnold is comfortable foisting his amorous wife off with the excuse he had pork for lunch it's not so far-fetched to believe he'd be angry when Feld asks him about his fantasy life or masturbation habits.
Although Arnold gets a pass on some of his issues Kay is forthright about why and how she's dissatisfied. When Dr. Feld asks her if she masturbates she says she doesn't because it makes her too sad. Kay offers similar revelations; she's willing to bare it all to revive her marriage while Arnold thinks the fact that they're married at all means they must be happy. Carell's Dr. Feld is soothing and kind (even a bit bland) but it's always a pleasure to see him play it straight.
It's subversive for a mega-watt star to play a character that talks about how sexually unsatisfied she is and how unsexy she feels with the man she loves most in the world. The added taboo of Kay and Arnold's age adds that much more to the conversation. Kay and Arnold's attempts at intimacy are emotionally raw and hard to watch. Even when things get funny they're mostly awkward funny not ha-ha funny.
The rest of the movie is a little uneven wrapped up tightly and happily by the end. Their time spent soul-searching alone is a little cheesy especially when Kay ends up in a local bar where she gets a little dizzy on white wine while dishing about her problems to the bartender (Elisabeth Shue). Somewhere along the line what probably started out as a character study ended up as a wobbly drama that pushes some boundaries but eventually lets everyone off the emotional hook in favor of a smoothed-over happy ending. Still its disarming moments and performances almost balance it out. Although its target audience might be dismayed to find it's not as light-hearted as it would seem Hope Springs offers up the opportunity for discussion about sexuality and aging at a time when books and films like 50 Shades of Grey and Magic Mike are perking up similar conversations. In the end that's a good thing.

Tony Martin, a smooth-voiced baritone who found success in Hollywood on the nightclub stage and on the radio during his 80 year career, passed away of natural causes Friday night at his home in West Los Angeles, the New York Times reports. He was 98.
Martin was born Alvin Morris in San Francisco on December 25, 1913 to Hattie and Edward Clarence Morris, well-off Jewish immigrants from Poland. While his parents wanted him to be a lawyer, Martin followed his dreams to Hollywood in the 1930s. His classic looks and great voice quickly earned him roles in musicals, starting with a small role in the Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers' film Follow the Fleet in 1936.
Once his Hollywood career got rolling, there was no stopping Martin. He went on to star in films such as Sing, Baby, Sing (1936), Zeigfeld Girl (1941) — in which he serenaded Judy Garland, Hedy Lamarr, and Lana Turner in a Busby Berkeley number — and Casbah (1948).
While Martin's face filled the silver screen his voice took over the radio air waves. His soulful take on popular ballads such as "I'm With You" (1936) and the Oscar-nominated "For Every Man There's a Woman" (1948), earned him his reputation as a charming crooner. Martin became a regular on the radio show The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show and then hosted his own 15-minute variety program, The Tony Martin Show, on NBC from 1954 to 1956.
In his personal life, Martin proved equally charismatic. He wooed Hollywood starlets including Ava Gardner, Rita Hayworth, Lana Turner, and Alice Faye (to whom Martin was married from 1937-1940). In 1948, Martin wed actress/dancer Cyd Charisse. Their marriage lasted 60 years, until she passed away at age 83 in 2008.
Martin, who is survived by his stepson and two grandchildren, will be remembered as a man who truly defined Old Hollywood class.
Follow Abbey Stone on Twitter @abbeystone
[Photo Credit: Amanda Edwards/Getty Images]
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There are those out there who will try and persuade you that the Step Up movies are devoid of all merit, that they are formulaic nonsense unworthy of your time. These people would have you believe that there is no reason to be excited to go to the theater this weekend. These people are categorically wrong and should be reproached for their impudence.
The Step Up franchise is a collected testament to the undying spectacle of cinema. The plots may not be as fleshed out and well rounded as they should be (maybe?) but if you’re not taken in by the jaw-dropping and innovative dance sequences that epitomize these films, you may be an alien from Planet Boring. In honor of the imminent release of Step Up Revolution, or Flash Mob: The Movie if you prefer, it seemed appropriate to look back over our favorite moments from this eye-popping, street-rocking, dance series.
”The Prank” — Step Up 2: The Streets
Step Up 2: The Streets could not be more aptly named. When our heroine is tossed out of the formidable street dance troupe the “4-1-0,” she forms her own crew and proceeds to let her old team know they mean business. They film themselves sneak-attacking the 4-1-0 with strategic choreography and post it on the Internet. The shenanigan is the most intensely anti-intimidating retaliation ever to be captured on film, but there is something beautiful in these guerrilla style dance moves. The best part has to be when they film themselves busting movies inside the 4-1-0’s headquarters. That’s what we call breakin’ and enterin’.
“Slurpee Surprise”— Step Up 3D
Pretty much everything about Step Up 3 is impossibly memorable for one reason or another. It is a film that got every last mile out of its silly 3D gimmick. While most movies this slavish to the added dimension end up losing something upon 2D home viewing, there is something perpetually magical about the slurpee scene in the franchise’s third installment. In a moment of kindling romance that would make 7-11 endlessly happy, our two leads stand on a bellowing air grate and slowly release drips from the straws of their frozen fruit beverages. It’s like watching children dazzled by bubbles, but speaks to the innocent, hysterical glee that is Step Up 3.
“Channing Tatum Breaks It Down Ballet Style”— Step Up
While easily the weakest of the series, in large part due to its reliance upon melodrama that the subsequent films largely abandoned, there is plenty to like about the progenitor of the Step Up series. Channing Tatum is our bad-boy-with-a-heart-of-gold who gets busted trashing a performing arts school and is forced into janitorial labor as penance. At one point, during his break between toilet cleanings, Tatum’s trouble-making friends show up to give him grief. Tatum responds to mockery with mockery as he infuses exaggerated ballet moves into his typical, acrobatic club dancing routine. It’s Baryshnikov the hook!
“Laser Suits”— Step Up 3D
There are so many insane and legitimately arresting dance sequences in Step Up 3 that choosing one standout is akin to selecting just one pair of shoes from an entire wall of premium kicks (something that also appears in the movie). Do you go with the wet and wild semi-final round made possible by a malfunctioning sprinkler system? The throwback to Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers on the streets of NYC? No, it has to be the final battle involving dancing suits equipped with LED lights. The effect is a futuristic, bombastic laser show that shoots straight out of the screen and into your unsuspecting brain cavity.
“The Opening Dance-Off” — Step Up 2: The Streets
Channing Tatum did not headline any of the Step Up sequels, but that does not mean he left the franchise behind. His cameo in the opening scene of Step Up 2: The Streets amounts to one of the film’s very best sequences. Tatum challenges our heroine, to whom he is a surrogate big brother, to a dance-off. The stakes of the wager are enrollment in the Maryland School of the Arts. So, you know, tension and stuff. The ensuing battle features frantic hip-hop moves, trampolines, and Tatum hanging himself by his oversized sweater only to slither out of it and stick the landing Magic Mike style. Need I say more?
More:
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Ryan Guzman: The Next Channing Tatum? — EXCLUSIVE PICS
Snapshots from the 'Step Up Revolution' Premiere
[Photo Credit: Summit Entertainment]
The Best of the Step Up Series

In a post-Harry Potter Avatar and Lord of the Rings world the descriptors "sci-fi" and "fantasy" conjure up particular imagery and ideas. The Hunger Games abolishes those expectations rooting its alternate universe in a familiar reality filled with human characters tangible environments and terrifying consequences. Computer graphics are a rarity in writer/director Gary Ross' slow-burn thriller wisely setting aside effects and big action to focus on star Jennifer Lawrence's character's emotional struggle as she embarks on the unthinkable: a 24-person death match on display for the entire nation's viewing pleasure. The final product is a gut-wrenching mature young adult fiction adaptation diffused by occasional meandering but with enough unexpected choices to keep audiences on their toes.
Panem a reconfigured post-apocalyptic America is sectioned off into 12 unique districts and ruled under an iron thumb by the oppressive leaders of The Capitol. To keep the districts producing their specific resources and prevent them from rebelling The Capitol created The Hunger Games an annual competition pitting two 18-or-under "tributes" from each district in a battle to the death. During the ritual tribute "Reaping " teenage Katniss (Lawrence) watches as her 12-year-old sister Primrose is chosen for battle—and quickly jumps to her aid becoming the first District 12 citizen to volunteer for the games. Joined by Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) a meek baker's son and the second tribute Effie the resident designer and Haymitch a former Hunger Games winner-turned-alcoholic-turned-mentor Katniss rides off to The Capitol to train and compete in the 74th Annual Hunger Games.
The greatest triumph of The Hunger Games is Ross' rich realization of the book's many worlds: District 12 is painted as a reminiscent Southern mining town haunting and vibrant; The Capitol is a utopian metropolis obsessed with design and flair; and The Hunger Games battleground is a sprawling forest peppered with Truman Show-esque additions that remind you it's all being controlled by overseers. The small-scale production value adds to the character-first approach and even when the story segues to larger arenas like a tickertape parade in The Capitol's grand Avenue of Tributes hall it's all about Katniss.
For fans the script hits every beat a nearly note-for-note interpretation of author Suzanne Collins' original novel—but those unfamiliar shouldn't worry about missing anything. Ross knows his way around a sharp screenplay (he's the writer of Big Pleasantville and Seabiscuit) and he's comfortable dropping us right into the action. His characters are equally as colorful as Panem Harrelson sticking out as the former tribute enlivened by the chance to coach winners. He's funny he's discreet he's shaded—a quality all the cast members share. As a director Ross employs a distinct often-grating perspective. His shaky cam style emphasizes the reality of the story but in fight scenarios—and even simple establishing shots of District 12's goings-on—the details are lost in motion blur.
But the dread of the scenario is enough to make Hunger Games an engrossing blockbuster. The lead-up to the actual competition is an uncomfortable and biting satire of reality television sports and everything that commands an audience in modern society. Katniss' brooding friend Gale tells her before she departs "What if nobody watched?" speculating that carnage might end if people could turn away. Unfortunately they can't—forcing Katniss and Peeta to become "stars" of the Hunger Games. The duo are pushed to gussy themselves up put on a show and play up their romance for better ratings. Lawrence channels her reserved Academy Award-nominated Winter's Bone character to inhabit Katniss' frustration with the system. She's great at hunting but she doesn't want to kill. She's compassionate and considerate but has no interest in bowing down to the system. She's a leader but she knows full well she's playing The Capitol's game. Even with 23 other contestants vying for the top spot—like American Idol with machetes complete with Ryan Seacrest stand-in Caesar Flickerman (the dazzling Stanley Tucci)—Katniss' greatest hurdle is internal. A brave move for a movie aimed at a young audience.
By the time the actual Games roll around (the movie clocks in at two and a half hours) there's a need to amp up the pace that never comes and The Hunger Games loses footing. Katniss' goal is to avoid the action hiding in trees and caves waiting patiently for the other tributes to off themselves—but the tactic isn't all that thrilling for those watching. Luckily Lawrence Hutcherson and the ensemble of young actors still deliver when they cross paths and particular beats pack all the punch an all-out deathwatch should. PG-13 be damned the film doesn't skimp on the bloodshed even when it comes to killing off children. The Hunger Games bites off a lot for the first film of a franchise and does so bravely and boldly. It may not make it to the end alive but it doesn't go down without a fight.
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The actress and Hollywood costume supervisor, nicknamed Baby Marie Osborne, became the youngest leading lady in Tinseltown when she starred in films like Little Mary Sunshine.
Yeats died at her home in San Clemente, California on 11 November (10).
She played a boy in her first film when director Henry King needed a kid for his 1915 movie The Maid of The Wind. He discovered her at the age of three.
Impressed with his find, King went on to shape her career, writing Little Mary Sunshine just for her.
Her success launched a range of Baby Marie dolls, but her career was short-lived - her final starring role came in 1919 in the comedy Miss Gingersnap.
She returned to Hollywood in the 1930s and 1940s and occasionally worked as a stand-in actress for Ginger Rogers, Deanna Durbin and Betty Hutton.
But she found her true calling in the 1950s when she took a job as a costumer and worked on films like Spartacus, The Way We Were and Mame.
She also supervised Elizabeth Taylor's wardrobe in Cleopatra.

The actor, who shot to fame as a youngster on Broadway, passed away on 2 July (10) in San Leandro, California after suffering complications following surgery.
Roe began his career as a child star on the New York stage and enjoyed roles in productions such as Our Town and Life With Father before moving to California to kickstart his film career.
His big screen debut came in 1939's Back Door to Heaven and he went on to star in films including The Major and the Minor with Ginger Rogers, June Bride with Bette Davis, and The West Point Story alongside James Cagney.
Roe retired from Hollywood in his later years and served as a Los Angeles County deputy sheriff, according to Variety.com.
He is survived by his wife, Elizabeth, two sons and a daughter.

Title

First film made through nonexclusive RKO deal in three years, "Heartbeat", was also her last for the studio for a decade

Performed a capsule version of her touring show at Radio City Music Hall

Rogers and Astaire appeared together on motion picture exhibitors annual poll of top ten box office stars three years in a row, placing 4th, 3rd and 7th

Made Las Vegas performing debut at the Riviera Hotel

Travelled abroad extensively for the first time

Named one of the WAMPAS "Baby Stars" of 1932

Reunited with Fred Astaire on Academy Awards broadcast, when they presented the writing awards; did a 30-second impromptu dance bit together while en route to the podium which received a huge audience response and caused considerable media hubbub

Toured US in the musical, "Coco"; attracted media attention when she refused to utter one four-letter word in the script

Last public appearances included those at a photo session for a Vanity Fair magazine issue dedicated to Hollywood and at a Screen Actors Guild tribute (Rogers was one of the original 100 members of the actors union when it was founded in the early

Played female lead in her first feature musical film, "Queen High"

Appeared in a number of short subjects including "A Night in a Dormitory" (1929) and "Office Blues" (1930)

Guest starred occasionally on TV on shows such as "The Love Boat" (in an episode reuniting her with former co-star Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.)

Radio debut in "The Curtain Rises" with Warren William on "Lux Radio Theater"

Opted not to renew her exclusive contract with RKO and began free-lancing; signed nonexclusive pact with the studio

Starred in first film not made in the United States, the British-produced "Beautiful Stranger" (U.S. Release title, "Twist of Fate")

Success on Broadway in supporting role in musical "Top Speed" (singing "Hot and Bothered") led to screen test at Parmount's Astoria, Long Island Studio; signed by Paramount

Starred onstage in the spring in Chicago in romantic comedy, "Forty Carats", then toured with show during the summer

Moved out to Hollywood; first West Coast-produced feature, "The Tip Off"; made several films for RKO-Pathe

Played early showcase part in RKO's "Professional Sweetheart"; one of her earliest films which was built up as a "vehicle" for her talents

Signed with RKO

Starred in a summer production of "Anything Goes" opposite Sid Caesar

Made a pilot for a TV comedy series, "The Ginger Rogers Show", in which she played twin sisters Elisabeth and Margaret Harcourt; option on possible series not picked up

Last RKO musical with Fred Astaire, "The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle"

Made last of four appearances on the cover of "Life" magazine, in connection with her return to Broadway after 20 years

Appeared in the "Hail and Farewell" episode of the ABC series "Hotel"

Recorded an album of songs in England for EMI called "Miss Ginger Rogers"

Was in unique position of being RKO's only top boxoffice star under long-term contract; first major solo hit after the series co-starring Astaire, "Bachelor Mother", RKO's biggest hit of 1939

Presented Fred Astaire with a special Oscar at the Academy Awards ceremony for 1949 films

Reunited with Fred Astaire when called on to replace an ailing Judy Garland in "The Barkleys of Broadway"

Enjoyed earliest solo starring successes in such films as "Romance in Manhattan" and "In Person"

Appeared in successful international touring nightclub and stage retrospective of her career, "The Ginger Rogers Show" (taped for Italian TV; also did a song and dance number to "The Carioca" on American TV program, "The People's Command Performance"); la

Made feature film debut at Paramount's studios in Astoria, Queens, as a Jazz Age flapper in "Young Man of Manhattan", in which she uttered a line which enjoyed a nationwide popularity, "Cigarette me, big boy!"

Made TV debut in "Tonight at 8:30", a version of three short plays by Noel Coward

Made directorial debut staging a revival of the musical comedy play, "Babes in Arms"

Offered a part in a Fox film while mother was working as a scriptwriter; mother refused to let her work after the first day

First top-billed role in "The Thirteenth Guest"

Starred in TV variety special, "The Ginger Rogers Show"

Starred in a live British TV adaptation of the musical, "Carissima"; oddly enough, the role as staged gave her the opportunities to neither sing nor dance

Vaudeville act expanded to include other dances such as the Spanish-flavored Valencia; also did comedy patter routines involving baby talk and comic wordplay

Starred in rare historical drama, "Magnificent Doll", in which she played First Lady Dolley Madison

Briefly worked as substitute dancer for Eddie Foy in vaudeville

Replaced Carol Channing (who opened the musical) in "Hello, Dolly!" on Broadway; was critically acclaimed in the role and enjoyed great boxoffice success; performed in the show for a year and a half until February 1967, then toured nationally with the sho

Enjoyed notable success without Astaire in "Stage Door"

Starred in last feature film for seven years, "Oh Men! Oh Women!"

Rogers and husband G. William Marshall set up production deal to make their own films, shooting in Jamaica; encountered production, budgeting and bureaucratic problems on the one film they made, "The Confession", starring Rogers; resulting film turned out

Invited to place her hand and footprints and her signature in cement at Grauman's Chinese Theater

Highest-paid woman in the US, earning over $250,000; was also America's 8th highest paid person overall that year

Career feted on the syndicated documentary TV special, "Legends of the Screen"

Made London stage debut; was the highest-paid performer ever to appear on London stage up until that time (earning 5000 pounds--at the time the rough equivalent of $12,000--per week for a 56-week run), in the musical "Mame"

Signed a seven-year deal to act as traveling fashion consultant for J.C. Penney Stores

Left Paramount; made a number of films for Warner Brothers

Returned to Broadway as female lead (at age 19) of George and Ira Gershwin's successful "Girl Crazy", earning $1,000 per week; introduced the song standards "Embraceable You" and "But Not for Me"; first met Fred Astaire (whom she dated briefly), who helpe

Starred in first film in color, Paramount's "Lady in the Dark"; film also featured the famous mink and sequins gown which cost over $30,000 at the time and was later donated to and kept on display at the Smithsonian Institute; Rogers' entire wardrobe for

Unsuccessfully sued the Italian producers of Fellini's film "Ginger and Fred" for invasion of privacy

Moved with family to Forth Worth, Texas while in high school; took part in school dramatics and took dancing lessons

Played the Queen on a TV version of Rodgers's and Hammerstein's musical version of "Cinderella", with Leslie Ann Warren in the title role

Appeared in touring stage shows, regional and summer stock performances of such musicals as "Annie, Get Your Gun", "Tovarich" and "The Unsinkable Molly Brown"

Mother Lela Rogers testified as a "friendly witness" before the infamous HUAC "witch hunt" anti-leftist trials which resulted in the Hollywood blacklists of the late 1940s and early 50s

Worked as band singer with Paul Ash's orchestra in New York (date approximate)

First co-starring vehicle with Astaire, "The Gay Divorcee"

First film with Fred Astaire, "Flying Down to Rio", in which they played supporting roles

Composed song, "The Gal Who Used to Be You" which she sang in a short film, "Hollywood on Parade #1"

Made television appearance as guest interviewee along with June Allyson, Jane Powell, and Esther Williams on "Burt Reynolds Conversations With..."

Famous career moment: performing cheerful Depression-era anthem, "We're in the Money", in pig Latin in "Golddiggers of 1933"

Final dramatic film role, played Jean Harlow's mother in the biopic, "Harlow"

Subject of a custody battle between parents when they separated; at one point the infant Rogers was kidnapped by her father

Began working regularly on the vaudeville circuit: billed as "Ginger and Her Redheads", toured Oklahoma and Texas with two other dancers, after winning a statewide Charleston contest in Texas; the two "redheads" who performed with her had finished second

Starred in tour of a bound-for-Broadway musical comedy, "The Pink Jungle", opposite Agnes Moorehead; play performed in several cities, but show had various problems with script, cast and production and the show never made it to Broadway

Returned to Broadway to star in a dual role Louis Verneuil's unsuccessful comedy, "Live and Let Love"; for one part she was billed as "Ginger Rogers" and for the other she was credited under her birth name "Virginia McMath"; show closed after 51 performan

Displeased with the scripts RKO sent her, Rogers and studio ended her nonexclusive contract by mutual consent

Summary

As the saying went about Ginger Rogers, she could do everything that her famous dance partner, Fred Astaire, could do, but she did it backwards <i>and</i> in high heels. That declaration neatly summed up the career of the Oscar-winning actress, which was marked by her seemingly limitless talents, which included starring in 10 sparkling screen musicals with Astaire, as well as subtle comedies like Stage Door" (1937) and "The Major and the Minor" (1942), as well as heartfelt dramas like "Kitty Foyle" (1940). Rogers had achieved stardom on Broadway before she was 20, and began making feature films shortly thereafter, but it was her collaborations with Astaire that elevated her from movie star to screen icon. Their dance routines were the epitome of class and grace, as well as possessing a chaste sexiness that transcended the censorial limitations of the period. Astaire himself would credit her as one of his best screen partners, but their films together were just the start of her long and storied career. A decade's worth of solo features followed her musical heyday, culminating with her Oscar triumph as a headstrong girl determined to find happiness in "Kitty Foyle." Though her movie career declined in the early 1950s, Rogers remained a star on Broadway and nightclubs for another two decades, as well as a welcome figure on television, where she regaled audiences with stories of her past work. Rogers' star never truly dimmed, both in her lifetime and after it, and her screen presence, whether in the arms of Astaire or on her own, remained one of Hollywood's greatest treasures.<p>She was born Virginia Katherine McMath on July 16, 1911 in Independence, MO, the only child of electrical engineer William Eddins McMath and his wife Lela Emogene Owens, a screenwriter and reporter. From an early age, she was referred to as "Ginja," which came from a young cousin who was unable to pronounce "Virginia." Rogers' parents split shortly after she was born, which resulted in an acrimonious custody battle. During this time, Lela Owens was working in Hollywood, so Rogers spent part of her childhood at her grandparents' home in Kansas City. Later, her mother married John Logan Rogers and moved with her daughter to Fort Worth, TX to work as a theater critic. Although never formally adopted by Rogers, Ginger took his surname as her own.<p>The bubbly child was interested in dance from an early age, performing frequently at local charity shows and school productions, but her passion truly blossomed when her mother brought her along to various stage productions. There, Rogers reportedly danced and sang along with the performers. At 14, she won the Texas State Charleston Competition, which earned her a four-week tour of Texas cities on the Interstate Theatre Circuit. With two redheaded Charleston dancers as her accompaniment, the act, billed as "Ginger and the Redheads," drew such crowds at each stop that the tour was extended to a six-month jaunt through the Western states. Rogers briefly developed a vaudeville act with her first husband, Jack Culpepper, who performed a singing and comedy act under the name of Jack Pepper. Their partnership, billed as "Ginger and Pepper," had an even shorter lifespan than their marriage, which lasted from 1929 until they parted amicably in 1931.<P>Rogers soon established herself as a solo act with lengthy runs in Chicago and St. Louis. Rogers also sang with Chicago bandleader Paul Ash's orchestra, and traveled with them to New York City to perform at the Paramount Theatre on Broadway in 1929. There, she landed her first stage role as the ingénue in the musical "Top Speed," which earned her critical raves as well as the attention of Paramount Pictures, which signed her to a seven-year contract. In 1930, the 19-year-old Rogers made her feature film debut as a saucy flapper in "Young Man of Manhattan," a breezy show business comedy starring Claudette Colbert and Charles Ruggles. As Puff Randolph, Rogers uttered the immortal line "Cigarette me, big boy," which soon became a national catch phrase. That same year, Rogers earned her first starring role on Broadway in "Girl Crazy." Top billed with another up-and-coming actress-singer, Ethel Merman, the show made Rogers a star, and minted two of her numbers - "Embraceable You" and "But Not For Me" - as instant classics.<p>At the end of her Broadway run, she dove into motion pictures, making four pictures in 1930 alone. None were particularly memorable, with Rogers usually playing dizzy blondes, and she soon freed herself of her Paramount contract before lighting out for Hollywood with her mother. Once there, she worked for a variety of studios in unremarkable pictures until 1933's "42nd Street" for Warner Bros. Cast as chorus girl Ann "Anytime Annie" Lowell, she established her screen persona as a brassy, worldly-wise girl who dove into songs and dance numbers with boundless enthusiasm. In 1933, she starred in "Gold Diggers of 1933," an opulent musical with choreography by Busby Berkeley, who showcased her in a jaw-dropping rendition of "We're In the Money," which featured the barely clad showgirl dancing before colossal coins while Rogers delivered part of the number in pig Latin.<p>Rogers was also adept at light comedy, as evidenced by her fast-talking turn as a reporter opposite her second husband, actor Lew Ayres, in "A Shriek in the Night" (1933). But musicals remained her most prominent showcase during this period, and in 1934, she signed with RKO to make "Flying Down to Rio," a romantic comedy with Gene Raymond as a bandleader who falls for a flirtatious Brazilian girl (Dolores Del Rio) while performing in Miami. Billed fourth and fifth in the credits were Rogers as Honey Hale, the band's singer, and Fred Astaire as Fred Ayres, Raymond's assistant. Their first dance together was "Carioca," a ballroom number in which they perform with their foreheads touching. The chemistry between the pair was immediately palpable to viewers, many of whom felt that they stole the picture away from the leads. Astaire and Rogers were soon minted as a screen dance team, and earned their first starring roles in "The Gay Divorcee" (1934), which featured a 20-minute routine to "The Continental" at its conclusion.<p>Astaire was a notorious perfectionist who often drove stage and screen partners to distraction with his endless rehearsals. But Rogers proved to be not only his most enduring co-star, but also his most durable. She had never performed with a dance partner prior to "Flying Down to Rio," and though an accomplished dancer, lacked certain skills like tap, that would be essential elements of their subsequent collaborations. But she did possess two attributes that helped her overcome these obstacles: she was doggedly determined to succeed, a gift from her ambitious mother that helped her to master difficult steps and routines. And she was a talented actress who was able to convey romance, grace and poise through physical presence and facial expression. The end result was a combination of movement and performance that elevated Rogers and Astaire's 33 paired routines to the vanguard of style in Hollywood dance and provide the ultimate escapism for audiences suffering through the Great Depression.<p>Keeping RKO studios afloat throughout the 1930s, Astaire and Rogers made 10 films together, beginning with 1933's "Flying Down to Rio" and concluding 16 years later with "The Barkleys of Broadway" (1949), in which Rogers stepped in for an ailing Judy Garland. Critics and fans found their respective favorites among the pictures, though the most financially successful was unquestionably "Top Hat" (1935), a lively screwball comedy with Astaire as an American tap dancer who attempts to woo a reluctant Rogers. The film featured one of their most memorable numbers, "Cheek to Cheek," in which Astaire wins over the headstrong Rogers through a complex, dreamlike routine that suggested verbal sparring before she succumbed to his charm with her signature deep backbend. The couple would enjoy similar moments of brilliance in subsequent films, like the syncopated "Waltz in Swing Time" from "Swing Time" (1936) which simultaneously expanded the boundaries of screen elegance while poking gentle fun at it, and a lovely foxtrot to "They Can't Take That Away from Me" in "Shall We Dance" (1937), among many other scenes indelibly etched in the minds of musical fans around the world. Despite the acclaim Rogers enjoyed from these films, she was treated as one of the supporting cast by RKO, and in fact, was paid less than many of them. Her mother, Lela Rogers, proved to be her ace in the hole in terms of fostering both financial and artistic respect from the studio. Rogers had been a tough but caring stage mother since her daughter's debut in the 1920s, and personally oversaw the shooting of many of her films to make sure her daughter was regarded as a star.<p>"Shall We Dance" marked the apex of the Astaire-Rogers collaborations, as well as the final days of the Depression Era musical. Skyrocketing production costs in the face of a national debt made studio chiefs turn to dramas and comedies for their box office take, and the pair would make just two more films, 1938's "Carefree" and "The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle" (1939). The latter, a biopic of the popular World War I dance team, was considered a failure because of its downbeat ending in which Astaire, as Vernon Castle, dies during military service, but in truth, it was the genre that had collapsed, not the duo's screen popularity. During this period, Rogers had worked tirelessly to maintain her identity as a performer outside of her partnership with Astaire through brassy comedies and emotional dramas. Her naturally brassy persona shone through in the former in pictures like the Broadway showgirls slice-of-life "Stage Door" (1937) and "Roxie Hart" (1942), a highly sanitized biopic of the showgirl whose scandalous murder case was also the subject of the musical "Chicago." But she also excelled at "women's pictures" like "I'll Be Seeing You" (1944), a handkerchief-heavy romance between a shell-shocked soldier (Joseph Cotton) and a convict (Rogers) on furlough.<p>Rogers' solo career hit its high point with 1940's "Kitty Foyle," a sudsy drama penned by Dalton Trumbo about a working-class girl who falls in love with a wealthy but spineless publisher (Dennis Morgan). She earned the Best Actress Oscar for her performance, and for a time, she was the highest paid and most in-demand actress in Hollywood. Having severed ties with RKO, she moved freely among the studios, cherry-picking quality projects like Billy Wilder's comedy "The Major and the Minor" (1942), with Rogers masquerading as a 12-year-old girl in order to avoid paying a full train fare, and "Lady in the Dark" (1944), an adaptation of the Kurt Weill/Ira Gershwin musical about a woman publisher (Rogers) undergoing psychoanalysis. Rogers was even the hero of <i>Ginger Rogers and the Riddle of the Scarlet Cloak</i>, a girls' adventure novel in the vein of the "Nancy Drew" series penned by her mother. The success of her films and other projects allowed her to purchase a 1,000-acre ranch in Southern Oregon, where she lived with her mother and built a dairy complex that supplied milk to Camp White, a nearby military cantonment, throughout World War II. In 1969, she sold her home in Beverly Hills to live in Oregon permanently until 1990.<p>Rogers married her third husband, Marine Jack Briggs in 1943, but the marriage ended in 1949, which also marked the decline of her status as a leading lady. Her films had drifted into weak melodrama territory, and with the exception of "The Barkleys of Broadway" (1949), a charming musical which reunited her with Astaire, and "Monkey Business" (1952), a cute screwball comedy by Howard Hawks that co-starred Cary Grant and a little-known Marilyn Monroe, her output saw few successes. She co-starred with Clint Eastwood in "The First Traveling Saleslady" (1956), one of the last productions by her old employer, RKO Pictures, and flitted between features and television until 1965, when she made her final film appearance as Jean Harlow's mother in the wan biopic "Harlow."<p>Rogers maintained a reduced profile in the 1950s and early 1960s; she had married actor Jacques Bergerac, a Frenchman 16 years her junior, in 1953, but the union only lasted four years. In 1961, she married bandleader-turned-actor William Marshall, who produced one of her final movies, a lackluster adventure called "The Confession" (1964) with Ray Milland. Marshall's issues with alcohol forced a separation, but the couple did not formally divorce until 1969. Rogers bounced back the following year in the Broadway production of "Hello, Dolly!" The musical, which had starred Carol Channing, had been performing poorly at the box office, but ticket sales soared when she took over as Dolly Levi for an 18-month run. Four years later, she scored a second stage success with "Mame" in London, which ran for 14 months and included a Royal Command Performance for Queen Elizabeth II.<p>Despite the end of her screen career, Rogers' popularity never diminished with moviegoers, who eagerly followed her numerous appearances on talk and variety shows throughout the 1960s and 1970s. She also remained on friendly terms with Astaire, whom she presented a special Academy Award in 1950; when the duo broke out into an improvised dance during an appearance at the 1967 awards, they received a standing ovation from the audience. Rogers kept herself in the public eye as a spokesperson for JC Penney, and even designed a line of lingerie for them. She later launched a successful nightclub tour that took her around the world. Rogers also expressed an interest in women's rights, as noted by a speech at the Congressional Women's Luncheon in 1973, which was later read into the Congressional Record.<p>In 1986, Rogers fulfilled a lifelong ambition to direct when she oversaw an off-Broadway production of "Babes in Arms" in Tarrytown, New York. She made her final screen appearance in a 1987 episode of "Hotel" (ABC, 1983-88) before publishing her autobiography, <i>Ginger: My Story</i>, in 1991. Rogers then settled into a series of well-deserved accolades from her peers. Chief among these was the Kennedy Center Honors, which paid tribute to her in 1992. The event was somewhat overshadowed by Astaire's widow, Robyn Smith, who refused to allow film clips of her husband with Rogers to be shown during the subsequent CBS broadcast. Rogers' final public appearance came in March of 1995, when she received the Women's International Center Living Legend award. A month later, on April 25, 1995, Rogers died of congestive heart failure at the age of 83 while at her winter home in Rancho Mirage, CA. She was interred at the Oakwood Memorial Park in Chatsworth, CA in a plot next to her mother, and only a short distance away from the grave of Fred Astaire.

Popular film star of the 1940s and 50s; one of WWII's most famous pin-ups; began career in dancing act with her father; films include "Blood and Sand" (1941), "Gilda" (1946), "Miss Sadie Thompson" (1953) and "Pal Joey" (1957); starred in a segment of the anthology film "Tales of Manhattan" (1942), but a different one than the one which highlighted Rogers; not all sources confirm that Rogers and Hayworth were cousins

acted as Ginger's manager; married second husband John Rogers while working as a newspaper reporter in Kansas City (divorced 1929); worked for a time at RKO teaching and promoting new talent; wrote a series of fiction books centered around daughter's character for Whitman publishers in the 1940s; "friendly witness" during the HUAC trials of the 1940s and 50s; made brief appearance as mother of Rogers's character in "The Major and the Minor" (1942); died in 1977

John Rogers

Step-Father

adopted Ginger Rogers after her father's death; divorced from Lela McMath in 1929

involved with Rogers in an on again/off again affair when she was separated from Lew Ayres in the late 1930s; directed Rogers in "Swing Time" (1936) and "Vivacious Lady" (1938)

Education

Name

Notes

"You bring out a lot of your own thoughts and ideals when acting ... You know, there's nothing damnable about being a strong woman. The world needs strong women. There are lots of strong women who are ... helping ... mothering strong men; they want to remain unseen. It's kind of nice to be able to play a strong woman who is seen." --Ginger Rogers

"She gives him sex, and he gives her class." --Katharine Hepburn's explanation of the onscreen chemistry between Rogers and Astaire, offered at a time when the team was at a popular and critical peak and Hepburn's popularity was ebbing

"When you have a dancing partner, there's always going to be a time that the girl is gonna cry. With almost every girl I danced with, I'd get, 'Waaahh ... I can't do it.' 'Oh, you can, shut up, get on, do it.' Ginger didn't do that." --Fred Astaire

"The hardest-working gal I ever knew." --Fred Astaire

"In more than 60 films, she was our picture of the American girl." --from the Kennedy Center Honors Salute of 1992 (it should be noted that Rogers made more than 70 films, not counting film shorts)

She also received a honorary doctorate of fine arts from Austin College in Sherman, Texas in 1972.